Lynda Chalmers, CEO of Care Connect sat down with Inside Ageing to answer a range of questions about the aged care industry.
Lynda: Our growth story over the last few decades has been immense. When Care Connect was founded 30 years ago, initially as West Care Linkages, we had just three staff members operating out of an office in Melbourne’s inner west. A little over five years later, we had expanded from Victoria into both New South Wales and Queensland, with 3,810 clients supported by 161 staff across 13 offices.
Over the next few years, we grew our services beyond aged care, offering a wide range of inclusive and culturally appropriate home care services tailored to clients’ individual needs, including personal care, household assistance, nursing, allied health services, and social support. We also introduced Care Finder, a free service designed to help particularly vulnerable older Australians who need extra support to navigate the aged care system and get the care and support they need.
Today, we have access to one of Australia’s largest networks of care workers and have connected over 85,000 Australians to the care they need to remain independent at home. This is something that every one of us here at Care Connect is incredibly proud of.
As for the broader aged care sector, we’ve seen a lot of changes in the last ten years, particularly following the Royal Commission into Aged Care. The Royal Commission saw increased compliance and stronger workforce regulations across the sector, as well as a shift towards a more outcomes-focused approach for older Australians.
We’ve also seen a change in consumer expectations when it comes to aged care — perhaps in response to the issues uncovered by the Royal Commission — and a rise in consumer-directed care. People are eager to avoid entering themselves or their loved ones into residential aged care prematurely, meaning home care providers like us are experiencing high demand from those wanting to remain independent at home for as long as they can.
How has home care evolved over the last decade?
Home care has evolved in many ways over the last ten years. The shift to a consumer-directed market has meant an emphasis on individualised care, which has inevitably brought with it more complexity. Under a consumer-directed care model, home care providers need to ensure they can meet the unique needs of every client, whether that involves tailoring services to specific cultural or religious requirements, or assisting those living with chronic health conditions, dementia, or mental health challenges like depression or social isolation.
The last ten years have also brought significant technological advancements, as well as an
increase in competition. Today, there are far more home care providers than when Care Connect was first established, along with much greater awareness of home care pathways, and the tech means we’re able to reach more people with our services than we might have ten years ago.
More broadly, we’ve seen a greater focus on positive ageing in the last decade. Australians are living longer than ever before, and we’re recognising that being able to maintain our health and wellbeing—physical, mental, and emotional—as we age is going to be essential for our quality of life and our sense of connection and fulfilment. Home care, therefore tends to take a more holistic approach these days, to ensure the physical, mental, and emotional needs of every person are met.
What are some of the most memorable moments you’ve had as CEO?
I took on the role of CEO just over a year ago, and I’ve already had so many memorable moments. Among them, the exciting introduction of a new strategic direction for Care Connect, which includes expanding our programs into new areas and growing our direct care workforce.
The upcoming shift from Home Care Packages to Support at Home has also meant big changes for us, including the launch of a brand-new IT system across the organisation in preparation for July 1. To be able to adapt to these big changes while also growing our team and continuing to reach more people with our services has been wonderful, and it’s something I’m very proud of.
Do you have any employees who have been with Care Connect since day one?
Not since day one, but we do have two wonderful staff members who have been with us for over 20 years. They will each be getting a large slice of our 30th birthday cake!
By Kate McKeown, Inside Ageing – 12 April 2025